


impasse

by hydrospanners



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comedy, Drabble, Gen, gently roasts my own character, most of the gang is here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 08:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14209008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hydrospanners/pseuds/hydrospanners
Summary: Inquisitor Niria Adaar, Herald of Andraste and Commonly Accepted Last Great Hope for Mankind, is not what you would call “formally educated”. She is a student of life, and failure is her teacher. Sometimes it’s painful for others to watch her learn.





	impasse

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr. Written for Fictober 2017.

The Inquisitor turned the amulet over in her hands, frowning. “How much did you pay for this?” She asked.

The scout—Ainsley—squirmed where she stood, looking anywhere but at the Qunari woman looming over her. “I mostly bought it out of charity, ma’am. I didn’t think the woman would take kindly to handouts.”

“How much?”

“Twelve gold, Your Worship.”

Adaar whistled low. “That’s a real impasse.”

“Uh,” The Iron Bull said. “I don’t think that’s what that word means, boss.”

 

# # #

 

They knew going in that it would be bad. That many people barricaded in one room, praying a lock and a few planks of wood would save them from the demons… They knew it would be bad. But knowing you’re about to be stabbed never makes the stabbing hurt any less.

“Andraste’s swollen tits,” Niria swore. She pressed a scarf to her nose and mouth, eyes watering. “What an impasse.”

Dorian and Blackwall shared a look at her back, but it didn’t seem the time for a vocabulary lesson.

 

# # #

 

The Inquisitor shifted her knight and looked at the board with satisfaction. She was down to three pieces, but it would be enough. She had him this time.

“Looks like we’re at an impasse,” she gloated.

Cullen glanced at the board then at the Inquisitor, an expression almost like amusement on his face. “I don’t think that word means what you think it means,” he said. Then he swept her valiant knight away with a lowly pawn. “You’ll get me next time.”

 

# # #

 

Demented giggling echoed through the hall as Josephine’s office door crashed open. The ambassador stepped through it, red in the face and covered with custard.

Niria Adaar turned on her heel, walking swiftly back through the door she’d just entered. Solas lifted his head to look at her curiously. They clearly heard Josephine shouting Sera’s name through the door.

“You never saw me,” the Inquisitor said. “I want no part of that impasse.”

“I don’t think—“ Solas began, but Adaar was already gone.

 

# # #

 

Cassandra turned away from the training dummy to find the Inquisitor watching her. Again. With that same ridiculous smile she always wore.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a real impasse?” Adaar called.

“Ugh.” Cassandra turned back to the dummy.

 

# # #

 

The river stretched from horizon to horizon, so broad only the tips of the trees were visible on the other shore. The bridge that spanned the gap, once a grand construction of stone and magic and gilded lanterns, came to an abrupt end in the middle of the swiftly moving waters.

The Inquisitor stepped to the edge of the ruined path, shielding her eyes with one hand as she squinted at the fortress now out of their reach.

“Well,” she said, “looks like we’re at an impasse.”

“There we go!” The Iron Bull laughed behind her.

“I knew she’d get it eventually,” Blackwall said with a smile.

Varric slapped her on the back—the small of it; he couldn’t reach any higher—and smiled. “Nice work, Twinkle Toes.”

She looked at the river, then back at her friends. “What?”


End file.
